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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27195770">the witching hour isn't twelve</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ink_stained_quills/pseuds/Ink_stained_quills'>Ink_stained_quills</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, M/M, Magic, Witches, i like doing these lyric things for seijoh huh</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 16:49:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,093</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27195770</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ink_stained_quills/pseuds/Ink_stained_quills</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Iwaoi magic AU!!</p><p>" Tooru meets Iwaizumi Hajime on a blustery summer night he has no business being out in.</p><p>It’s windy, enough to push a tiny Tooru off his feet, and he doesn’t know enough wind magic to tame it.  Instead, he digs his feet into the ground and shoves his way into his backyard.  If he hurries, his mom might not notice that he’s snuck out past his bedtime to practice spellcasting.</p><p>“What’re you doing?”</p><p>A brash voice - one that very much does not belong to an Oikawa - interrupts his halfhearted attempts at conjuring a friendly spirit. "</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kyoutani Kentarou/Yahaba Shigeru, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>80</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the witching hour isn't twelve</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>the lyrics are from dodie songs 'human', 'social dance', and 'adored by him'</p><p>G but with little bits of foul language, please turn around if that's not your jam!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>(Paint me in trust // I’ll be your best friend)</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Tooru meets Iwaizumi Hajime on a blustery summer night he has no business being out in.</p><p>It’s windy, enough to push a tiny Tooru off his feet, and he doesn’t know enough wind magic to tame it.  Instead, he digs his feet into the ground and shoves his way into his backyard.  If he hurries, his mom might not notice that he’s snuck out past his bedtime to practice spellcasting.</p><p>“What’re you doing?”</p><p>A brash voice - one that very much does not belong to an Oikawa - interrupts his halfhearted attempts at conjuring a friendly spirit.</p><p>Tooru looks up to find a boy about his size, standing perfectly upright in the gale.  “What’re you doing?”</p><p>“I asked you first.”  The boy crosses his arms.</p><p>“I asked you second,” Tooru retorts, and almost falls over.  “How’re you standing upright?”</p><p>“The ground likes me,” he says smugly.  “Guess it doesn’t like you so much.”</p><p>“It likes me just fine!”  Tooru snaps indignantly, weighing the pros and cons of trying to prove him wrong, and sits down.  “See?”</p><p>In response, the boy stomps.  Tooru allows himself a moment of feeling mature before he flies backward a good six inches, spluttering indignantly.  “Being an earth witch is cheating!”</p><p>“Is not,” the boy announces definitively, and Tooru might have to admit that okay, maybe it isn’t.</p><p>He fidgets on the ground for another second before blurting “What’s your name?”</p><p>“Iwaizumi Hajime.”  Haj - Iwaiz- Iwa-chan introduces himself.</p><p>“Aren’t you gonna ask for mine?”</p><p>Iwa-chan shrugs.  “Aren't you going to tell me?”</p><p>“... Oikawa Tooru.  I’m six.  Are you an earth witch, or a rock witch?  When’d you move in?”  Tooru pesters, painstakingly picking himself up off the ground.  “D’you go to school around here?”</p><p>“You talk a lot,” Iwa-chan observes.</p><p>“You don’t talk so much,” Tooru observes right back.  “I’ll just have to make up for it.”</p><p>Iwa-chan wrinkles his brow.  He looks like he frowns a lot.  “So if I talk more, you’ll talk less?”</p><p>Smiling in the way his grandma calls charming and his sister calls sucking up, Tooru plants his hands on his hips.  “Guess you’ll have to talk more and see.”</p><p>“I’m six too,” Iwa-chan admits.  “‘M an earth witch.  I came here a few days ago, and I’ll go to school at...” he screws up his face.  “I dunno.”</p><p>“I bet you go to mine!”  Tooru says, baselessly confident.  He wobbles where he stands, pitching forward, and Iwa-chan lurches to grab him.  The earth reaches up to press against his hands, just enough to catch him, before it drops back down.</p><p>Iwa-chan scowls at the ground.  “Sorry.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“I dropped you,” he explains, like he didn’t just do really super cool magic easily.</p><p>Tooru sticks out his tongue.  “But you caught me first.”</p><p>“I guess,” Iwa-chan mumbles.</p><p>“Tooru?” his mother calls from the other garden, and Tooru blanches.</p><p>“Gotta go.” he whispers apologetically.</p><p>Iwa-chan dips his head, considering, then nods.  “Come over tomorrow.  I found all kinds of weird bugs.”</p><p>“I don’t really like bugs,” Tooru confides.  He bites his lip.  Maybe he should have pretended he liked them?  Iwa-chan probably wouldn’t want to hang out with him if they didn’t like the same stuff, right?</p><p>There’s a momentary pause while the other boy digests this information.  Then he shrugs.  “Your loss.  I just think they look like tiny aliens, right?”</p><p>Tooru stares.</p><p>“Tooru?” his mother calls again, more agitated.  “Honey?”</p><p>“I’ll come,” he whispers, and darts into his own yard quick as he came.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>(Am I happy or just hopeful?  Confident or boastful?)</em>
</p><p> </p><p>As it turns out, they do end up in the same class.  Tooru watches as the other kids receive Iwa-chan in much the same manner he did and deem him acceptable.  His friend makes his way to the front of the class, wrinkling his nose as he does so, and takes the empty seat next to Tooru.</p><p>“Why do you sit all the way up here?” he complains.  </p><p>“I can’t see the board too good otherwise,” Tooru replies.  “You don’t have to sit here if you don’t want to.”</p><p>Iwa-chan just scowls at him like he’s missing something.  Maybe a few brain cells.  “You’re up here, aren’t you?”</p><p>Tooru shifts in his seat, the glow of friendship and being chosen evident in his grin.</p><p>During lunch, the other boys in the class congregate around Iwa-chan as he leans against Tooru’s desk, chattering about baseball.  Tooru puts his chin in his hand and pretends to listen.</p><p>“Iwaizumi-kun,” Akio aks, “D’ya want to play kickball?”</p><p>“Sure,” Iwa-chan agrees easily, pushing off from the desk.  Tooru’s stomach sinks.  “Coming, Oikawa?”</p><p>He fakes a smile.  “Mm… nah.  Go ahead, Iwa-chan.”</p><p>“‘Iwa-chan’?”  Akio repeats, screwing up his mouth.  “That’s awfully cutesy.”</p><p>“’S just what I call him,” Tooru mumbles.  “Go play without me, you guys.”</p><p>“Don’t be dumb,” Iwa-chan - Iwaiz - no, he can’t say it - scoffs, grabbing him by the wrist and towing him out the door.  “You kicked me yesterday hard enough to bruise, I think you can kick a rubber ball.”</p><p>Tooru squirms in his grip right up until they hit the field, at which point he gets distracted by the fact that yes, he’s going to have to participate.  Iwa-chan gives him an encouraging nod and shoves him up to the makeshift home base.</p><p>“Kick it, Oikawa!”  The boys in line chant behind him, making him shudder, and he throws his full might into knocking the ball away with his foot.  It flies away (“Wooooah.”), and Tooru launches himself towards the second base, then the third.</p><p>It feels like he’s lighter, like the air is bouying him up and the ground is falling away from his feet, when he barrels into home base.</p><p>“That - that was so cool!”  Tooru gasps out, bouncing.  </p><p>Iwa-chan beams at him.  “Sports are fun!”</p><p>“Hunting for bugs is what’s fun,” Tooru corrects, then falters.  “But I guess this was pretty good too.”</p><p>Eiji steps up to kick the ball.  “Hunting for bugs is kid stuff.”</p><p>Tooru huffs, momentarily shocked, and watches Iwa-chan’s eyes flash with disgust.  His chest loosens.  Iwa-chan isn’t going to like these kids better than him if they don’t like to hunt for bugs!  He’ll just have to find his friend more cool ones.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>(You envision so much you make me look blind)</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“I wanna be a great witch,” Tooru declares.</p><p>His mother smiles softly.  Tooru’s pretty sure that’s the best face, the one his mother makes when she’s content.  “I’m sure you will be.  But you have to work hard.”</p><p>“Super duper hard!” he agrees, wiggling his fingers.  The air wavers around him as if heat struck.</p><p>There’s a knock on the door, and Tooru dashes to open it.  “Iwa-chan!  Since we’re eight now, I think it’s high time we started learning proper spells.”</p><p>“You think so, huh?”  Iwa-chan smirks.  “How’re we gonna do that?”</p><p>Tooru interlaces his fingers.  “Um… my sister’s in a coven, but we can’t join any of those until we’re big.”</p><p>“We’re like the only witchlings in town.”  Iwa-chan reminds him, scanning the street for eavesdropping neighbor kids.  </p><p>“Well, I’m sure that’s not true,” his mother smiles down at them.</p><p>Perking up, Tooru grasps her skirt.  “Mom?”</p><p>She taps a delicate finger to her chin in thought.  “You know the Sugawaras -  the ones with the son your age - are part of our coven.  Ah, and the Kageyamas.”</p><p>“Kou-chan spends all his time with Dai-chan,” Tooru informs Iwa-chan.  “Plus they go to a different school.”</p><p>Iwa-chan blinks.  “Is everyone a -chan, then?  I thought I was the only one cursed.”</p><p>“You’re still special to me, Iwa-chan.”  Tooru says absently, patting his face.  Iwa-chan blushes.  “Mom, where can we learn spells?”</p><p>Her smile changes to something encouraging, yet bittersweet.  “We intended to put you into casting classes in a few months, but I suppose you’d like to start early.”</p><p>“Yessssss,” the two chorus.</p><p>“Alright,” she chuckles, “Hajime-kun, you’d better talk to your parents about this.”</p><p>He nods.  “Kay, Momkawa.”</p><p>“We’re gonna learn proper magic,” Tooru says, starstruck, and throws himself into bed a whole hour early in preparation for tomorrow (which he only does on Christmas).</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>(There are some who don’t even need to try)</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Tobio-chan sits alone.</p><p>He’s not alone, actually, which is the worst part - he’s sitting with a little wind spirit he calls Shouyou.  It’s a wispy little bird thing that doesn’t seem to want to take human form for any purpose other than getting into fights with Tobio-chan, which automatically endears it to Tooru.</p><p>Iwa-chan rolls his eyes whenever Tooru complains about him, because he just doesn’t get how annoying he is.  Tooru is working hard for every scrap of magic he can wring out of shaking hands, for every gust of wind he can coax out of an unforgiving sky.</p><p>Their first day, the teacher asks them what their element feels like.</p><p>“Solid,” Iwa-chan settles on.  “Reassuring, growing, unchanging.”</p><p>Dai-chan says something much the same: “It’s like I can see with my feet.  Like I can’t ever be knocked over.”</p><p>“Even though I’ve tried!”  Kou-chan chirps jokingly.</p><p>Aka-chan says water is flowy.  He doesn’t seem inclined to say much more.</p><p>“Powerful,” Ushiwaka describes.  “Fire is the feeling of being unbeatable.”</p><p>Tooru wants to know what it’s like to have an element that gives you that feeling of security, like you can take refuge in it instead of battling it into mastery.</p><p>“What does air feel like?”  Their teacher asks.</p><p>Kou-chan beams.  “All happy!  Sometimes I stand outside in fall, and the breeze blows, and the leaves whoosh into my face.” he shivers happily.  “It’s the best.”</p><p>Dai-chan looks at him fondly.  Tooru smirks at him before Iwa-chan jabs him in the side, hissing “You’re supposed to answer this too!”</p><p>“Have you ever gone on a rollercoaster?”  Tooru asks dryly.  “It’s when you plunge down, and you leave your stomach and lungs behind.”</p><p>“And you, Tobio-kun?” she inquires kindly.</p><p>Tobio-chan shrugs, and his spirit takes corporeal form long enough to swat him on the arm.  Eyes the color of brown leaves swirl with messy, pumpkin shade hair.  “Bakageyama, you need to talk in class.”</p><p>“Leave me alone, Shouyou.” he snaps back quietly, coloring something.  “I don’t need to be here.”</p><p>Shouyou indignantly dissolves into wisps of air, separating only to consolidate into a gust that blows Tobio-chan’s hair back.  “Fine!  Air is breathing.  Simple as that.”  </p><p>The spirit flips his paper off the table.</p><p>“Typical Tobio-chan, better than everyone else.”  Tooru simpers, wiggling his fingers in the air.  He uses his power to lift the coloring sheet back onto the desk.  “How does Sho-chan stand it?”</p><p>Tobio-chan flushes, eyes watering, and colors harder.</p><p>“Oi,” Iwa-chan snaps.  “Leave him be.  There’s nobody else his age here.”</p><p>Shouyou tosses a crayon into the air.  Iwa-chan picks it up with an apologetic nod, handing it back.  “Sorry.”</p><p>Tooru shrugs.  “Yeah.  Sorry, I guess.”</p><p>If air is like breathing for Tobio-chan, Tooru’s struggling to inhale knives.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>(And I won’t hate you, but, oh, it stings // How does it feel to be adored by him?)</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Iwa-chan’s spirit is called Kyoutani.  He’s a wolf most of the time, but when he takes human form, he’s a strange haired boy looking thing a bit younger than they are.  Iwa-chan spends a lot of time corralling him (he’s got tendencies to avoid witches, something that seems to apply to Tooru in particular).</p><p>Tooru’s spirit, Yahaba, doesn’t show anyone his animal form.  Instead, he fluxes between gusts of wind and something resembling human - much closer to human than anyone else’s spirit, something Tooru enjoys bragging about.</p><p>Yahaba and Kyoutani don’t get along.  At all.</p><p>It might be because both Yahaba and Kyoutani are fiercely loyal, and Kyoutani doesn’t like Tooru.  Which is ridiculous!  Thirteen has been kind to him in ways it hasn’t for others, and he’s finally grown into his features properly.</p><p>“Maybe he doesn’t like it when you call him Mad-Dog,” Iwa-chan speculates, scribbling runes into a notebook.  “Hey, do you remember the -”</p><p>“It’s more of a circle than an oval for rock spells.”  Tooru corrects.  “It’s a term of endearment, Iwa-chan.  He’s your spirit, I just want us all to get along.”</p><p>And he does want them to get along - wants Yahaba to stop returning to him with more rocks than leaves from their tussles, wants Kyoutani to stop growling at him whenever he tries to sneak up on Iwa-chan.  He wants Iwa-chan to look at him instead of Kyoutani.</p><p>“He’s like an overprotective little brother.”  Iwa-chan shrugs.  “I think if I can work with him more, I can help.”</p><p>Tooru pouts.  “You’re already working with him literally all of the time.”</p><p>“I’m ‘literally’ with you right now,” Iwa-chan reminds him, fondly exasperated.</p><p>“I just… want him to stop hating me,” Tooru finishes lamely.  “He’s your spirit, so you’re gonna want to spend more time with him, and then I’ll just burn my house down making toast or something.”</p><p>“He doesn’t hate you, he’s - prickly,” Iwa-chan covers for him, and Tooru fixes him with a Look.  “I’m not gonna just stop spending time with you, idiot.  You two’ll have to get along at some point.”</p><p>“Okay,” Tooru whispers.  Then, at normal volume: “Yeah, of course!  Nobody can resist me for long~”</p><p>“I take it back.”  Iwa-chan deadpans, turning his attention back to his runes.  “Your personality is so terrible that nobody will ever be friends with you again.”</p><p>But he nudges the bag of pretzels towards Tooru, and there’s a small smile on his face.  This is how Iwa-chan should look, Tooru decides - all soft and concentrating and right next to him.</p><p>“I just had to stop Kyoutani from causing a minor earthquake in the park!”  Yahaba snaps, breezing in through the open window.  The air grows cold and sharp.  In response, Kyoutani disperses to dirt on the floor.</p><p>“I just vacuumed in here!”  Tooru yelps, brushing himself off.  One of the dirt clods hits him in the face.  “Kyoutani!”</p><p>“Kentarou.”  Iwa-chan says.  His voice isn’t loud, but it’s firm and commanding.  Tooru’s attention snaps to him.  “I’m going to have to clean this floor too.  And you shouldn’t cause trouble for other people, even if it’s Oikawa and he deserves it.”</p><p>“I don’t deserve this,” Tooru moans, sprawling across Iwa-chan’s back.  “Life is so hard for me.”</p><p>The dirt trembles on the ground, then consolidates into a mass of wolf, to which Iwa-chan gives an approving, familial nod.  Yahaba floats over and stares down at it.  “Shift to human form.”</p><p>The wolf growls at him.</p><p>“So I can kick you in the shins, that’s why.”  Yahaba replies.  “I’m not cruel to animals.”</p><p>Instead of complying, Kyoutani paces over to Iwa-chan and settles along his side.  Tooru obligingly shifts so Iwa-chan can run his hands through the wolf’s fur (can it be called fur if it’s made of dirt?), watching his hands swoop back and forth.</p><p>Yahaba watches from his perch on the desk.  His legs swing in time to his irritated finger tapping, blurring as they go, until Tooru sighs.  “Shigeru.  I get it, but it’s fine.  He won’t do it again, right?”</p><p>“You guys let him get away with so much,” Yahaba complains, throwing his hands into the air (literally) and dissolves, rattling the clothing hangers.</p><p>Iwa-chan sits up, spilling Tooru off his back, and smirks at him.  “Your son is going through his rebellious phase.”</p><p>“Yours is there permanently,”  Tooru sticks out his tongue and stands up, stretching out his back.  “Take some responsibility for his corruption.”</p><p>“Now who’s going after their spirit?”  Iwa-chan teases, watching as his shirt rides up.  “Oi, exhibitionist.  You’ve stretched enough.”</p><p>“I don’t see you paying,” Tooru sniffs, heart racing, and dashes out after Yahaba.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>(Oh, I’m so human // We’re just human)</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Do you ever wish we weren’t witches?”  Dai-chan whispers, one night when they’re all watching the stars.  The witchlings use all sorts of excuses to cover up what they’re doing while they learn magic (‘religious after-school stuff’, which led to them frantically researching obscure details about Buddah, ‘sports’, which made people suspicious when none of them could agree on what sport they played, and finally they settled on ‘book club’).  Tonight, they’ve told their non-magical friends that they’re stargazing, which is kind of true.</p><p>Tooru sits bolt upright in shock.  “No.  Never.”</p><p>“It’d be easier,” Dai-chan mumbles.  “I’m not saying I would.”</p><p>“Just thinking it.”  Kou-chan laughs, words unfamiliarly bitter.</p><p>“Is this about Michimiya-san?”  Tobio-chan asks uncertainly.  The air stills (and with air witches, that’s not something to be taken as lightly as coincidence).</p><p>“She’s been my best friend since we were babies,” Dai-chan admits, rubbing his forehead.  He’s got almost as many wrinkles there as Iwa-chan - too many for fourteen year olds.  “I hate lying to her.”</p><p>“It’s safer for her this way,” Aka-chan parrots, imitating the trusted adults who’ve told them this countless times.  Ushiwaka jerks his head up and down in a close approximation of a nod.</p><p>Kou-chan hums along.  “He just wants to tell her cause he’s in looooove with her.”</p><p>“That’s immature!”  Dai-chan snaps, ground rumbling faintly.  “And I am not.”</p><p>“That was a long pause,” Kou-chan snipes.  “You can just admit it.”</p><p>“Not when you get so weird when I talk about her.”  Dai-chan accuses.  Iwa-chan sets his hand against the dirt to still it, casting a concerned glance at Tooru to do the same with the wind.  “I can have two best friends, Suga.”</p><p>Kou-chan inhales tremulously, brown eyes wide, and leans closer.  “But you can’t have two of everything.”</p><p>Everyone is silent for a long moment.</p><p>“Yikes,” Nishinoya, Kou-chan’s spirit, materializes above them and floats on his back.  “Could you guys calm down?  Ew, can’t believe I just said that.  But seriously, you’re making the air currents go crazy.”</p><p>Asahi, Daichi’s spirit, yelps.  “Noya!”</p><p>“I think that star’s Sirius,” Iwa-chan comments, pointing at a star that they both know is certainly not Polaris.</p><p>“This one’s the dog star, Iwa-chan.”  Tooru corrects.  He moves the other boy’s hand to point at the right star, leaning against him.  “The favorite of aliens, of course!”</p><p>“Why’s that?”  Tobio pesters, squirming.</p><p>“Because it shines brightest in the sky!”  Tooru laughs, spreading his arms to the sky like he can pluck the stars and swallow them one by one, until they fill him up with light and space.</p><p>“Like you,” Iwa-chan says quietly.</p><p>Iwa-chan’s eyes are warm, but Tooru’s face is warmer.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>(Pirouette for show but never let them know // That really, you’re just begging for a chance)</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“High school,” Tooru breathes, fifteen and insatiable.  “High school magic!”</p><p>“High school assessments,” Iwa-chan reminds him, fifteen and settled in his own skin in a way Tooru’s not sure air witches can be.</p><p>He shrugs.  “It just means more work.”</p><p>“You work hard enough already.”  Iwa-chan complains.  “You’re going to shrivel away to pure magic.  Just a wand and a few herbs.”</p><p>“Hard ‘enough’ never got anyone to the high council,” Tooru informs him.  “It’s Nerf or nothing, Iwa-chan.”</p><p>“Bite me, Shittykawa.”</p><p>If only, Tooru tries very hard not to think.  Once again, he reminds himself that truth spells are unethical, and casting one on his best friend to see if his feelings are returned is Not Good.</p><p>Iwa-chan scowls.  “We still have to complete our final intermediate rites, though.”</p><p>“I’ve been practicing every night for at least three hours,” Tooru boasts, adjusting his bag on his shoulder.  “We’ll pass with flying colors, and then over the break we’ll pick our coven.”</p><p>“We’ll pick our actual high school, at which there’ll be a coven.”  Iwa-chan corrects.  Same difference.</p><p>Smiling, Tooru slips a hand into his bag and touches his wand.  “Then we’d better get into a good one.”</p><p>The test comes too soon and too slowly all at once, and Tooru finds himself in a flurry of rune drawing and spell casting, deflecting minor curses and creating good luck charms.  When he drags himself out of the assessment room a few hours later, his limbs are heavy and his brain is drained.</p><p>“Iwa-chan,” he mumbles.</p><p>“He’s not out yet,” his mother tells him, quiet and encouraging.  “You did great, sweetheart.”</p><p>Iwa-chan emerges twenty one minutes later (Tooru’s not the one counting, his mom is!), looking like death warmed over.  “Oikawa.”</p><p>“Iwa-chan.”  Tooru raises himself from his uncomfortable waiting room chair, shuffles over to his best friend, and drapes himself over him.  “Let’s go home.”</p><p>“Yeah,” he exhales, and Kyoutani doesn’t even growl at anyone.</p><p>Yahaba and Kyoutani settle in the backseat, bickering quietly over what they could have done better, and Tooru curls into Iwa-chan and falls asleep quickly for the first time in over a month.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>(Pretty girl, oh, he looks at you // As if life is perfect and the world is new)</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t get why we’re here if we already know we wanna go to Seijoh,” Tooru complains.</p><p>Iwa-chan just shrugs, like he doesn’t care that they could be watching Godzilla or alien movies right now, and eyes the nearest coven stand.  “I know I want to go to Seijoh.  I’m just saying you could go somewhere else.”</p><p>“Why would I want to go somewhere else?”  Tooru seethes, turning his nose into the air.  “I’m staying with you.”</p><p>“You could do better, with magic like yours.”  Iwaizumi says simply.  Irritatingly.  As if what he just said makes any sort of sense.  Tooru spins his wand in his fingers and stares at the congregation - a gym full of witchlings trying to find covens.  </p><p>Kou-chan appears to be dragging Dai-chan towards the booth for Karasuno’s coven, fingers intertwined.  He gives them a wink as he passes, and Tooru finger guns back.</p><p>“Go wherever you want.”  Tobio-chan orders Shouyou.  “I don’t care.”</p><p>“I’m your spirit, Bakageyama.”  Shouyou reminds him with the air of someone who’s done this countless times.  “I’m going to Karasuno, same as you, because I want to.  … and because you’re my best friend.”</p><p>“Fine!”  Tobio-chan flushes, stomping towards Karasuno.</p><p>“Fine!”  Shouyou sings, drifting after him.</p><p>Aka-chan eyes a loud witch from Fukurodani, and Ushiwaka - well, he’s been on Shiratorizawa’s waiting list for years.  Iwa-chan picks up a brochure for Seijoh, flipping through its pages.</p><p>“Oikawa.”  Ushiwaka declares, popping up behind him.  “I’d like to discuss your coven goals.”</p><p>“I’d like to not do that,” Tooru replies cheekily.  Iwa-chan stiffens beside him, shoving his face further into the brochure.  “I plan to go to Seijoh.”</p><p>“I simply think that Shiratorizawa would be a better use of your power.”  Ushiwaka explains calmly.</p><p>“I’m not joining your stupid coven, Ushiwaka!”  Tooru snaps, Yahaba and Kyoutani appearing beside him, growling.  </p><p>“Shigeru,” Tooru says faintly, stunned.  “You’re a wolf.”  The two animals flash their fangs at Ushiwaka (back off, back off, radiates from their pelts), and he gives them a nod and leaves.</p><p>The spirits shift back, sporting twin glares.  Tooru’s shoulders slump.  “Mad- Kyoutani.  You defended me.”</p><p>“Felt like I had to.”  Kyoutani growls, embarrassed.  He casts a look at Iwa-chan, then scuffs his foot across the ground.  “Couldn’t let this idiot take on Ushijima by himself, and Hajime -”</p><p>“Knows Oikawa can fight his own battles,” Iwa-chan finishes.</p><p>Kyoutani rolls his eyes.  “Was worried.”</p><p>“Tooru grew on you after all, huh?”  Yahaba teases, and Kyoutani shoves him.  They scuffle for a moment, shoulders ending up pressed tight together.</p><p>“Like mold,” Kyoutani replies sagely, the two darting off to talk to Shouyou.</p><p>Iwa-chan stares after them.  “Who would have thought?”</p><p>“It was obvious,” snorts Tooru.  Iwa-chan gives him the looks that means ‘you’re full of shit’.  “Oh, sorry, Iwa-chan, I just dropped something.”</p><p>“What now?”  Iwa-chan sighs, eyes already scanning the ground.  So sweet of him.  He’s been trained well.</p><p>Tooru shoves him over and steals the brochure, cackling, and runs.  “The truth!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>(Call me the one // This night just can’t end)</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Tooru kisses Iwaizumi Hajime on a blustery summer night he has no business being out in.</p><p>It’s enough to push him off his feet, heart stuttering in his chest in a staccato rhythm, and he tips slowly backwards.  His mind is whirling faster than the wind, too fast to think about a wind spell that would catch him.</p><p>“Iwa-chan!” Tooru yelps, pitching back, and feels the earth rush up to meet him (literally).</p><p>He’s lying on a cushion of earth, gasping.  Iwa-chan pulls him up off the ground, playful smile teasing the corners of his mouth, and sets his hands on Tooru’s waist.  “Caught you.”</p><p>Tooru grins.  “And you didn’t even drop me this time.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>... so.  here we are.  I did this while I should be writing another fic, so if you could validate me that'd be great</p><p>I'm so sorry I'm shameless lmao</p></blockquote></div></div>
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